Your Honor

27

JAMES'S POV

The night was still very young and the strength in my limbs were failing gradually. I flagged a cab at the front of the hospital and entered calmly. I relished the warmth in the vehicle. The taxi driver was wearing a black cap but it didn't bother me. I thought about John and wondered what would have transpired between him and Danjuma. I closed my eyes and smiled at the shimmer of thought of Eniola. I felt a discomfort in my belly and noticed the taxi driver driving well over the speed limit.

"Please stop overspeeding, where are you rushing to?" I inquired, placing a trembling hand on the headrest.

I got no response from the driver but he didn't slow down either. He continued with his uncontrollable driving which made me wonder if he was drunk. A harsh movement made my head hit the headrest harshly which made me spit out words of venom.

"Are you out of your mind? How do you even have a license ? I am getting out of this vehicle." I spat, gripping the car door.

But the car door didn't bulge open. Something was wrong. I started to grasp the gravity of the situation staring at me. I felt my body tremble in fear and a huge tightness in my chest.

"Who are you? Open this door now." I yelled, gasping heavily.

"You don't need to know who I am. All you should know is that you are in for a bumpy ride, Your Honor." The driver replied, laughing.

The the hair at the back of my neck stood at attention and sweat dripped down my forehead. That voice was so familiar and terrifying. I screamed and I sensed a sharp turn before my head hit the window. The last thing I remember was feeling of the metallic taste of blood on my tongue and the horn of a car.

                                                  ************

I woke up to the clanging of metal. I was strapped to a chair with no means of escape. My eyes were just beginning to adjust to my surroundings.

Tolani.

Her eyes were sunken but she looked very radiant with a grin that almost made uncomfortable.

"You really like me, I admire your affection for uncompleted buildings. It's a shame the feeling isn't  mutual." I said with a croacked voice.

"Shut up." Tolani yelled, with her hands in her trouser pockets.

"Why did you kidnap me again? Did you miss me? Haven't you punished me enough?" I asked, sniffing the air around me.

"Yes, I missed you, I missed your cries of agony, I missed seeing blood on your face. You deserve more than punishment. I should have killed you at the hospital. But I didn't want to rat myself out." Tolani replied, advancing towards me.

"You have a child in your belly. You have a chance at another life. Why me? Why all this? It won't bring him back." I yelled, as I struggled with the chair.

"Funny you should mention that, I lost my child due to the gruesome stabbing made by you. I lost my unborn child because of you. You always take away someone I love...." Tolani screamed, as tears streamed down her face.

I was shocked. I was so concentrated on escaping that night, I had forgotten where I had stabbed her. Oh No.

"I'm really sorry Tolani, I don't even know what to say. I just wanted to go. I wanted to escape..."

"Shut up, Shut the hell up.You are just a murderer. You can't help your natural instinct. " Tolani yelled.

"Why are you making yourself the victim? I was the victim! You kidnapped me Tolani. I'm sorry about your child Tolani, I really am." I replied.